'Unprepared' Canadian hikers rescued from Mt. Washington

Six Canadian hikers were helped off Mount Washington Saturday after finding themselves in life-threatening conditions.

State Fish and Game officials say the hikers ran into conditions of temperatures at zero degrees and 50-mph winds when they started descending from the Ammonoosuc Ravine Trail. They were on their way down the mountain on the Auto Road when state parks and Fish and Game rescue workers found them at the three-mile mark and helped them the rest of the way.

The group of hikers from the Province of Quebec called 911 for assistance after encountering severe weather conditions Saturday afternoon. Two rescue personnel from Mount Washington State Parks and Fish and Game met up with the group around 4:45 p.m.

The group was not prepared for hiking the mountain under winter conditions, rescuers said.